Driven by a growing ecological awareness, Parisian women are increasingly turning to eco-responsible fashion: paying attention to the quality of fabrics (organic cotton, vegan leather...), their provenance and the garment's manufacturing process. They are increasingly attracted to timeless, high-quality, sustainable fashion - in short, fashion that takes care of the planet. Here are our little secrets so that you too can take part in this trend!
Why is the textile industry one of the most polluting in the world?
Everything in our clothes is a pollutant: pesticides for cotton, dyes, glues, petroleum for polyester, transport, microfiber waste from each wash, final disposal. From there, it's just a matter of adapting this notion to the 80 billion garments manufactured worldwide every year! As you can see, the real problem with textiles is that we buy/consume too much. In France, we throw away an average of 12 kg of clothes a year, and we only wear 30% of our wardrobe! It's hard to imagine the figures for the rest of the world...
Why do we consume so much clothing?
Because we are extremely influential, our loved ones, friends, family, colleagues, magazines and... social networks (Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and others). And the "Influencers" of which I am one! And who influences us, the influencers? Fashion, and therefore brands! And the latter, understanding the stakes, have increased the number of collections per year. For some brands, fashion even changes every week. The aim, of course, is to encourage consumption! Before, clothes were a necessity; today, we dress to shine in society and on the networks! Clothes end up accumulating in our wardrobes (7 out of 10 are hardly ever worn).
How to dress eco-responsibly?
To make the switch to eco-responsible dressing, you first have to accept a change in your buying behavior and avoid impulse buying. But you also need to work on your own wardrobe and look for ethical brands on the Internet. Here's a 9-point guide.
1: Consume better
Look at labels to verify origin, manufacturing conditions and raw materials. When it comes to materials, opt for organic cotton, hemp, linen and recycled fibers. Buy clothes from Fair Wear factories (where the people involved in making the garment work in decent conditions). Please note: if the raw materials cost more and all those involved in the production chain are better paid, the garment will inevitably cost a little more, so it would be wise to consume less...
2: Consume less
To adopt this strategy, you need to reduce your wardrobe as much as possible, buying what you need and nothing more (hence the importance of buying beautiful, quality pieces that appeal every time you wear them). Wardrobe rotation must be perfect! The impact on the environment is already enormous.
3: Consume less and better
Instead of buying 10 T-shirts a year, buy 4, but in organic cotton or recycled fibers. Or better still, buy them second-hand (this avoids drawing on natural resources again to produce a new garment). A word of advice: to be sure of keeping a garment for as long as possible, make sure that the size and cut are appropriate, as well as the quality.
4: How to dress for less
The best expense is the one you make! Instead of buying new clothes, wear them to their last breath, which means taking the utmost care of them (wash at 30°C maximum, no tumble-drying, and at the first signs of wear, mend them urgently!).
5: Boycott fast-fashion brands
Now that we know that major fashion brands exploit workers, create ecological damage and use synthetic materials that are toxic to our bodies, stopping subsidizing them is the first thing to do.
6: Stop treating shopping as therapy
We live in an age of materialism and consumerism that promises to make us happy if we buy constantly. To believe that we'll forget all our problems by buying that nice skirt or shirt is completely false.
7: Research ethical brands
This may take a little time, because unlike conventional brands, which are available to everyone, ethical brands are mainly sold on the Internet.
Finding out what brands are available on the fair trade fashion market is one of the first things to do if you want to embrace responsible fashion. To get started, simply do a Google search.
8: Review your wardrobe
Analyze your wardrobe to decide what you're going to do with each garment: keep it, repair it, recycle it or donate it. And... choose the basics: that way, you'll always have something to wear. Basics rhyme with quality and beautiful materials. Having a minimalist wardrobe means dressing for the long term. Over time, you realize which colors suit you best, so go for them!
9: Watch for sales and buy second-hand
Watching out for special offers from ethical brands is always a good idea for saving money. Buying ethically and responsibly also means reusing.
